Noctisardor Bypass 1 "They're not as big as I thought they'd be."

Mother Nature had bequeathed the last of her remaining senses to Druid some days ago. Sight and now hearing lent much dimension to the infant’s experiences of the world. Days and nights passed in an observable circadian rhythm as she continued developing and growing, muzzy eyes slowly sharpening and tiny ears twitching with the natural world’s many heartbeats.

Just a hairsbreadth over two weeks old, she was still too young to explore much and could only “swim” a few feet across the den floor. She spent the evening shuffling toward the door, curious about the light, which faded by the time she reached it. An exhausted Druid’s chin dropped to the ground and she napped, rousing well after nightfall.

Quite used to darkness and silence, the puppy nonetheless blinked hard as she ascertained the variation in the shadows, particularly here near the den’s mouth. She whimpered curiously at noises perceived beyond it and began scooting in that direction, propelled by the call of the wild.